Envelope labeling devices known in the prior art are generally of two types. One type of device employs a conventional stamper impact printing mechanism located adjacent to the path of the envelope through the depository transport. This type of device is rigidly mounted adjacent to the envelope path so that transaction identifying information can be printed directly upon the envelope. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,836,980 and 4,085,687. The problem with devices of this type is that the envelope must be located in close proximity to the face of the print mechanism if legible printing on the envelope is to be accomplished. Further, the depository envelopes must be held stationary in the transport while printing is conducted. ATM customers frequently place coins or folded currency or instruments in the envelopes deposited into ATMs. This results in envelopes having uneven thickness. The variable thickness often results in the envelope losing contact with the face of the printing mechanism, resulting in a failure to print identifying information.
Other prior art devices have attempted to overcome the problems associated with having to print identifying information on deposit envelopes of uneven thickness by first printing the transaction identifying information on a label and then applying the label to the depository envelope. U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,243 is an example of a device of this type. Several problems exist with these devices, however. First, the labels add to the cost of operating the ATM. Also, the labels must periodically be replenished, resulting in additional labor costs. Labels stored inside an ATM require additional space which may require the ATM to be larger. Generally labels are transported on a carrier media and once the label is applied, the media must be stored and ultimately disposed of, adding additional labor costs to the operation of the ATM. Customers frequently place their deposits in wet or soiled envelopes. In these circumstances, labels will not adhere to the envelope surface.
Prior art devices such as those cited hereinabove require that the envelope be held stationary while the identifying information is printed or applied by means of a label. To ensure that all identifying information is legibly applied to the envelope, it is common practice to apply the information at two different locations on the envelope. This requires that the envelope be stopped on two occasions during transport to apply the information. Starting and stopping the envelope transport to apply the information is time consuming. These constraints limit the speed at which deposit transactions can be completed using an ATM.
A further limitation of prior art devices is that they utilize conventional stamper impact printing devices to print the transaction identifying information on deposit envelopes. The size of such devices limits the quantity and type of information that can be printed. Usually such devices have been limited to printing four (4) digits. The verification process could be greatly expedited if additional transaction verifying information could be printed on the envelope in human or machine readable form. Such information might include the name of the financial institution into which the deposit is made, the value of the items contained in the deposit envelope, the account number into which the deposit is made, and the date and time of the deposit. Such information is readily available at the ATM at the time the deposit is made and is usually included on the statement which the ATM provides to the customer as a record of each transaction. Unfortunately, prior depository envelope devices are not capable of printing these types of information.
As a result of the foregoing limitations, there is a need for a device which can print identifying information directly onto an ATM depository envelope of uneven thickness. In addition, there is a need for a device which can print the identifying information on the envelope a number of times without requiring that the envelope be stopped as it is transported from the customer to the secure container in the ATM. Further, there is a need for a device which can print a variety of alpha-numeric transaction identifying information in machine or human readable form on depository envelopes.